Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Author: Chantele SedgwickFormat: eBookPrint Length: 224 pages Publisher: Crescent Moon Press Published: August 1, 2012 Armed with wings and a blue wand, being a fairy godmother should be easy ... unless your name is Ash, and you're a dude.Ash Summerland has it all–good looks, popularity, and the best grades at The Academy of Magical Beings. Ready to complete his last assignment in order to graduate, Ash is confident he will get the apprenticeship he wants. When he opens the letter from the Council, he is shocked to discover he has been assigned to apprentice Lady Shenelle, Keeper of Happy Endings. A.K.A. the head fairy godmother. Ash is forced to grant three wishes to a troubled human girl named Kendall, and ultimately give her a "happy ever after". But Kendall turns out to be more than he bargained for. Still grieving over her father's death, Kendall doesn't want anything to do with him. And worst of all, she doesn't believe in happy endings.

My Thoughts

Kendall is in need of a fairy god mother. Her daddy died in a horrible car accident while she was driving the car. The accident left her scarred both on the inside and outside. She kinda withdrawals from all of her friends, sitting on the outskirts now. Ash grew up at the Magical Being Academy. At the head of his class he assumed/hoped that his last semester would be an internship with his mentor Logan aka Mr. Sandman. Instead he’s stuck with Shenelle, the pink flying fairy godmother. That’s right the head fairy god mother. But he could do this. All he has to do is a few reports and of course give Kendall her happy every after with 3 wishes. I absolutely enjoyed this book. Ash was a fabulously manly fairy godmother. Kendall, your heart will break for her after all she’s been through. She really does deserve a happily ever after. I really did not like Cameron- I thought he was a jerk. Had no clue what Kendall saw in him. I enjoyed Ash’s and Kendall’s easy banter and the growth of their friendship. The baddie Dax is pure evil. Holy cowzers the stuff he does. I never want to be on his badside. Not sure if I could handle it. The ending does lend itself to a sequel if that is what the book world wants. I for one would love to read a follow-up book.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

“I thought it’d be different as well.” He glanced down as if he couldn’t stare into my eyes, black hair falling across his face in a shield. “I was stupid to believe we’d be together. Every question I answered correctly on that test brought me closer to the job I wanted, but I didn’t realize it also took me further away from you.”

Colonization by Aubrie Dionne Kindle Location 382

“You can help me, right? You can change it?”

He shook his head, wires quivering. I can, but I won’t.”

A fist squeezed in my chest, and my throat constricted. “Why not? You have the power.”

He swallowed hard and paused. The familiar buzz of the engines filled the silence.

“You’ve been taught many times how the computer must assign mates to keep out small population from inbreeding, to keep our genes strong.”

Colonization by Aubrie Dionne Kindle Location 451

A scream pierced through the techno beat and the music stopped abruptly. I turned around as the crowd grew silent.

Colonization by Aubrie Dionne Kindle Location 1170

So I broke the two sentence rule again. I would try to make an excuse but seriously I really just liked the book and wanted to get some teasers out there on it. Could you imagine someone you are close to accepting that your relationship must end- for no other reason than a computer?

Monday, November 26, 2012

Announcing the Dreaming of Summer Giveaway

November 27 through Dec. 2

Summertime in Georgia is much like Spring or Fall. The only difference is that the humidity goes
higher than a NASA spaceship. Although
this Fall we have had a few cold days- unusual to say the least. These cold days had me wishing for the
summer, and a great summertime read. So
when Me, Myself and I and I am a Reader not a Writer decided to host a Dreaming
of Summertime blog hop I just had to sign up.

I got to
thinking-which book have I read lately that would remind me of summertime? A fabulous series The Shadow Falls Series by
CC Hunter came to mind instantly. Shadow
Falls is a five book series centered around a young lady named Kylie. Kylie’s momma and daddy are getting a
divorced. Normally this would already be
devastating- but she is also seeing someone that no one else can see. A solider, who seems to pop up randomly.

Her parents send her to Shadow Falls- a camp for troubled
teens. Al least that is what the outside
world believes. Kylie soon finds out
otherwise. It’s a camp for troubled
paranormal teens, and by troubled I mean they have trouble accepting their new
found powers. This series is amazing and
I wanted to share it with my followers.
What better way to share than to do a giveaway!

Once you are finish signing up for this great summertime read follow the links below for more summertime fun!

In February of this
year I was searching for a new book to read.
As I browsed the book aisles I came upon a book called Born at Midnight
by C.C. Hunter. At this point, I should
admit that I sometimes do judge a books read-worthiness by it’s cover. Born at Midnight has an amazing cover. A blonde gal in a black dressed climbing a
barren tree trunk with a foggy mist surrounding her. The right amount of spooky mixed in with the dreariness
of winter. I just had to read the back cover.

Born At Midnight

Don’t miss this spectacular
new series that will steal your heart and haunt your dreams, Welcome to Shadow
Falls camp, nestled deep in the woods of a town called Fallen…

One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people,
and it changes her life forever. Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a
camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully
clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.” Here at Shadow Falls,
vampires, werewolves, shapshifters, witches and fairies train side by
side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the
normal world.

Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of
paranormal freaks either. Or does she? They insist Kylie is one of them, and
that she was brought here for a reason. As if life wasn’t complicated enough,
enter Derek and Lucas. Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend,
and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past. Both
Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold
on her heart.

Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is
becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs…

My Thoughts

OMG! What happens
next? So I quickly downloaded the next
book in the series.

Awake at Dawn

Step into the world of Shadow
Falls, a camp that helps teens tap into their special…talents. Once you visit,
you’ll never forget it—and you’ll never, ever be the same.

From the moment Kylie Galen arrived at Shadow Falls Camp, she’s had one burning
question: What am I? Surrounded by vampires, werewolves, shape-shifters,
fairies and witches, Kylie longs to figure out her own supernatural
identity…and what her burgeoning powers mean. And now she’ll need them more
than ever, because she’s being haunted by a new spirit who insists that someone
Kylie knows—and loves—will die before the end of the summer. If only she only
knew who she was supposed to save. And how…

But giving Kylie the most trouble is her aching heart. Gorgeous werewolf Lucas
left camp with another girl, but he’s still visiting Kylie in her dreams. And
Derek, a sexy half Fae who’s always been there for her when she needed him, is
pushing to get more serious—and growing impatient, especially when Lucas
returns. Kylie knows she needs to decide between the boys, and it’s tearing her
up inside.

Yet romance will have to wait, because something from the dark side of the
supernatural world is hiding in Shadow Falls. It’s about to threaten everything
she holds dear…and bring her closer to her destiny.

My Thoughts

HOLY COWZIERS! What
happens next? Wait- I have to wait? Seriously?
How will I survive? Thankfully it
was only about a month and a half wait.
I pre-ordered the next book, biting my nails in anticipation.

Turned at Dark

I discovered that
there was an e-book prequel released with Della’s story in it. You can read it for free by downloading from Amazon or Barnes and Nobles.

Taken at Dusk

Step into Shadow Falls, a
camp for teens with supernatural powers. Here friendship thrives, love takes
you by surprise, and our hearts possess the greatest magic of all.

Kylie Galen wants the truth so badly she can taste it. The truth about who her
real family is, the truth about which boy she’s meant to be with—and the truth
about what her emerging powers mean. But she’s about to discover that some
secrets can change your life forever…and not always for the better.

Just when she and Lucas are finally getting close, she learns that his pack has
forbidden them from being together. Was it a mistake to pick him over Derek?
And it’s not just romance troubling Kylie. An amnesia-stricken ghost is
haunting her, delivering the frightful warning, someone
lives and someone dies. As Kylie races to unravel the mystery and
protect those she loves, she finally unlocks the truth about her supernatural
identity, which is far different—and more astonishing—than she ever imagined.

My Thoughts

OH NO….. Who is the ghost
that she is speaking to? Which one of my
beloved book friends died? How could the
author kill them? And of course, heck no
it is not a mistake for her topic Lucas.
Team Lucas all the way!

Whispers at Moonrise

The
breathtaking new installment of the New York Times bestselling Shadow Falls
series from author C. C. Hunter...Whispers at Moonrise.

At
a camp filled with vampires, werewolves, and fairies, Kylie Galen has always
struggled to figure out what she is. Now she finally knows the truth—but
she's left with more questions than answers. She doesn’t have a clue what her
heritage means or how to harness her newfound powers. All she knows is that she
needs to sort out her feelings for Derek, the sexy half-Fae who just confessed
his love, and Lucas, her werewolf boyfriend who seems more committed to his
pack than to their relationship. All the while, Kylie's dealing with a group of
underground rogues who want her dead and a mysterious grandfather who makes it
clear he doesn’t trust the FRU . . . or Shadow Falls. Soon Kylie will have to
choose: Will she stay with the new family she’s formed at Shadow Falls, or will
she leave with her grandfather and embrace her destiny.

My Thoughts

Pretty much my
thoughts were Oh My Goodness! Oh My
Goodness! Oh My Goodness! How could she? How could he?
What will happen to Della and Miranda?

Chosen at Nightfall

The final book Chosen at Nightfall is expected to be released
in April, 2013. I realize that it is
five months away but every once in a while I cannot help but think what is
Kylie, Lucas, Derek, Holiday and the girls doing?

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Andromeda has spent all seventeen years of her life aboard a
deep space transport vessel destined for a paradise planet. Her safe cocoon is
about to break open as Paradise 21 looms only one month away, and she must take
the aptitude tests to determine her role on the new world and her computer
assigned lifemate. As a great-granddaughter of the Commander of the ship, she
wants to live up to her family name. But, her forbidden love for her childhood
friend, Sirius, distracts her and she fails the tests. The results place her in
a menial role in the new colony and pair her with Corvus, “the oaf”.

But when Andromeda steps foot on Paradise 21, her predestined future is the
least of her worries. Alien ghosts from a failed colonization warn her of a
deadly threat to her colony. And when Sirius’s ship crashes on the far ridge in
an attempt to investigate, she journeys to rescue him with Corvus.

Andromeda now must convince the authorities of the imminent danger to keep her
protect her new home. What she didn’t expect was a battle of her own feelings
for Sirius and Corvus.

Can she save the colony and discover her true love?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Our Chat~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Andromeda knew who she wanted to be matched with, even though they were not suppose to have favorites. She still hoped that her lifemate would be Sirius Smith.

Andromeda Barliss matched to Corvus Holmes. She describes him as a perfectly fine boy, a little oafish. He has blonde hair and blue eyes. His muscles are outlined lined in his uniformed and well she calls him “an over-stuffed hero toy.” She does have a crush on Sirius when she is describing Corvus. I picture him a lot like Alexander Ludwig.

I got the opportunity to have a chat with Corvus. What a gentleman! Hear what he has to say about his lifemate match.

Corvus, thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview. Would you like some sweet ice tea? Maybe a snack?

I actually enjoy drinking the juice made from the flowers on Paradise 21! There's a ton of vitamin c. Want to try some?

That is an awfully kind offer. Darling, I already have a glass of tea- maybe next time. Hopefully, he did not see me wrinkle my nose. Yikes!

Okay now that that is settled. The real reason you are here is so that we can get all the juicy gossip.

Growing up on New Dawn must have been quite an experience. There your assignments (your job) and lifemates are picked for you by the Guide.

I don't know about gossip! I don't gossip, but I can tell you what's going on.

Why on earth would he not gossip? No fair. Was there a job that you hoped for? A lifemate pairing that you wanted? Or maybe one that you hoped to avoid?

To tell you the truth, I really didn't care. I wanted my life to stay the same on the ship. I enjoyed looking out the sight panels and watching the stars go by. Then, when I found out my lifemate was Andromeda Barliss, I started to care. I wanted to work hard to deserve her. She's so beautiful and kind. Did you know she's the commander's great granddaughter?

When you realized that you were paired with Annie~ what went through your mind?

Fear that she wouldn't be happy with me, determination to live up to her expectations, and excitement to have someone so special. A swirl of emotions, really.

Why on New Paradise would you risk your life for the job of head of security? Were you not happy in your assignment?

I wanted to impress Andromeda. She didn't seem all that impressed with my grunt job, and I knew I could do better for her. Those man-eating flowers didn't scare me.

Knowing that your lifemate had feelings for Siruis, why did you want to help her?
We were paired together whether we had feelings for someone else or not. I guess, I hoped I could win her over if I tried hard enough. I had to give it a shot.

If you could change any one thing that has happened while you have been on Paradise 21, what would it be?

I wish we could have saved Ray Simmons. We should have known about the threat to the colony. The scout droids should have picked it up. Thanks for having me over for the interview. You'll have to read Colonization: Paradise Reclaimed to see what happens!

Corvus~ thanks so much for stopping by. I know that you have a lot of work to do on Paradise 21. Have fun getting to know Annie and well keeping her out of trouble.

I tried y'all, but he just would not give me the gossip. I mean, seriously. Not even one mention of Nova. Hopefully, Annie took care of her.

Andromeda has spent all seventeen years of her life aboard a
deep space transport vessel destined for a paradise planet. Her safe cocoon is
about to break open as Paradise 21 looms only one month away, and she must take
the aptitude tests to determine her role on the new world and her computer
assigned lifemate. As a great-granddaughter of the Commander of the ship, she
wants to live up to her family name. But, her forbidden love for her childhood
friend, Sirius, distracts her and she fails the tests. The results place her in
a menial role in the new colony and pair her with Corvus, “the oaf”.

But when Andromeda steps foot on Paradise 21, her predestined future is the
least of her worries. Alien ghosts from a failed colonization warn her of a
deadly threat to her colony. And when Sirius’s ship crashes on the far ridge in
an attempt to investigate, she journeys to rescue him with Corvus.

Andromeda now must convince the authorities of the imminent danger to keep her
protect her new home. What she didn’t expect was a battle of her own feelings
for Sirius and Corvus.

Can she save the colony and discover her true love?

My Thoughts

I received an
eARC through the publishers, this in no way influenced my review.

Right
before she passes away Annie’s great-granny tells her, “Change is the only
constant in our lives. It shapes us as
much as it tears us down.” (Kindle Location 28)
Boy, was granny right. The New Dawn
has finally reached Paradise 21, before the descend upon the plant she takes
her final exams (this determines her job) and her lifemate is decided upon. She hopes that she assigned her best friend
Sirius as her lifemate. They are
attracted to each other but they avoid doing anything about it due to the
whole, computer picks their lifemate rule.
It does make sense- you want to make sure that their civilization will
continue to thrive and that no inbreeding happens. Arranged marriages though sometimes suck.

Let’s
be honest- I typically only read paranormal or contemporary YA novels. So, I was very unsure going into this
book. Will I like it? Will I be able to follow it? Will it take forever to read? I curled up into my reading chair with some
sweet tea a blanket and the Kindle Fire.

Holy
alien babies everywhere! This world is
beautifully written, Paradise 21 seemingly really a Paradise with the beautiful
plants and the fabulous water. Who would
not like to be on a beach?

The
emotional drama that Annie is put through, and she suffers it mostly in
silence. Wowzers. The tidal wave of emotions that Annie feels
from the very beginning with the death of her great-granny to the end will
leave some seasick but wow what great character development. You cannot help but feel bad for Annie and
yet at the same time wonder if computerization is the way to go when picking a
mate.

Corvus is, well, dang he
is just great y’all. He is
understanding, caring, and sweet. Who
else do you know would willingly help his girlfriend (lifemate) find her old
boyfriend (not really but you get the picture)?
The risks he takes for her is just well heartwarming. You end up verbally cheering for him.

Do you know the phrase “better
the devil that you know than the one that you do not.” This comes to mind when I view Annie’s and
Sirius’ relationship. They grew up
together. They know each other’s
secrets. They went on adventures
together. So, shouldn’t they be
together?

Sirius goes missing and
Annie is going after him, Lieutenant Crophaven wouldn’t listen to her. So really she has no other options. He got lost doing a favor for her. Corvus catches her leaving and leaves with
her. It is a race against time or wind
to get to Sirius. Will they make
it? What happens if they do? What if they don’t?

My Rating4 out of 5
stars

Other Characters

Nova- resident mean girl and Sirius’
lifemate match, the irony

Lieutenant Crophaven- He is one of the
highest ranking military men on the ship

Commander Barliss- Annie’s great-Grandpa,
he happens to command the ship

Thursday, November 22, 2012

The fabulous girls over at YA Bound created this super HOT meme. Here's how it works.

From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what
made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your
stomach fluttering.
Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the
comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog! I want
to know & so do the gals at YABound!

“My foot-“

“I’ll make sure you don’t
put pressure on it.”

And he did. Putting a strong arm around my waist, he
hoisted me into the air and back down again in a pirouette. We spun together and I laughed, my hair
catching in my mouth. He brushed it back
and smoothed his thumb over my lips. My
heart thudded against my chest, and I wondered if it was because of the
exertion or something else.

Colonization Kindle by Aubrie Dionne Location 1167

As he spoke, he ran a
hand through my hair, sorting out the tangles.
“When I got my lifemate assignment, I was beyond happy. I couldn’t imagine a better partner. You’re beautiful, smart and friendly, but I
also felt guilty and nervous, as though they handed me a prize I didn’t
deserve.”

Colonization Kindle
Location by Aubrie Dionne 2121

Lately, I can not help
but add two areas where the guy has been swoon worthy. I wonder why? Oh well- bet you are wondering
who the guy is….

Below is a link to the Colonization giveaway going on now!Colonization

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Darynda Jones, author of The New York Times
bestselling series that began with First Grave on the Right, brings
us Death and the Girl Next Door, a
thrilling Young Adult novel garnering high praise and early buzz from major
authors

Ten years ago, Lorelei's parents disappeared without a trace. Raised by her
grandparents and leaning on the support of her best friends, Lorelei is finally
beginning to accept the fact that her parents are never coming home. For
Lorelei, life goes on.

High school is not quite as painful as she thinks it will be, and things are as
normal as they can be. Until the day the school's designated loner, Cameron
Lusk, begins to stalk her, turning up where she least expects it, standing
outside her house in the dark, night after night. Things get even more
complicated when a new guy—terrifying, tough, sexy Jared Kovach—comes to
school. Cameron and Jared instantly despise each other and Lorelei seems to be
the reason for their animosity. What does Jared know about her parents? Why
does Cameron tell Jared he can't have Lorelei? And what will any of them do
when Death comes knocking for real? Thrilling, sassy, sexy, and inventive,
Darynda Jones's first foray into the world of teens will leave readers eager
for the next installment.

"Unique, witty, and touching—I LOVED THIS
BOOK!" —P.C. Cast, New York Times bestselling author of The House of Night
Series

My Thoughts

For as long as Lorelei can remember she has known Cameron. SO why is he now following her around? What is his deal? Bet yet why does the new guy seem interested
in her? He totally ignored her
cheerleading perfect enemy Tabitha, who was coming on to him like a freight
train. Since when does Cameron decide
who she can or cannot see?

Lorelei has no problem questioning that which she does not
understand. The book opens up on the 10th
anniversary of her parents’ disappearance.
Her best friends are supportive- usually with human and her life
continues. Now, why is Cameron was
Cameron hanging out around her hose and is basically everywhere she is?

“Stalker boy was nothing if not dedicated.”

Then the boy of her dreams, literally, Jared shows up. Jared, “built like an Adonis” has a shady
background- think Kevin Spacey in the Usual Suspects. Yet Cameron keeps trying to get Jared out of
her life. “You can’t have her” and let’s
not forget the thing with the shot gun.

Jared is an interesting male lead.
His job occupation comes with certain rules and well he refuses to do
his job because of his attraction to Lorelei.
I ended up likening Cameron more (the shot gun chapter totally sold me
on him.

The awesome thing in this book is that the main character’s relationship
takes a back seat to a pair of supportive members. Yepper, funny gal sidekick- Brooke gets a boy
in this one. Who just so happens to be
the opposite of Jared? Can you guess who
or what he is? Well here is a hint-
exorcism.

Regardless, Death and the Girl Next Door was an entertaining read. It made me wonder what happens to the supportive
characters than the main. This sometimes
happens- I felt extremely bad for Glitch for getting his heart secretly broken-
she’ll never know. Then I felt guilty
because I was still glad that the pairing is happening.

Will the demon wake up? Will the
angel be able to protect her? Will his
light shine bright enough for the both of them?
The sequel comes out in March so until then we are left wondering.

When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well... There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.

But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love.

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

USA TODAY Bestselling author, Jennifer L. Armentrout, lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell, Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She also writes adult romance under the name J. Lynn.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should
Be Reading. Anyone can play along!
Just do the following:• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share
doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the
book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

He easily deflected my
punch and yanked me toward him, folding his arms around mine in a vice-hold.

Panting, I struggled and
looked for a place to bite.

Just as I was about to
sink my teeth deep, he gritted out, “Nara, it’s me!”

When Ethan’s voice
penetrated my mind, the fight drained out of me. Sobbing, I babbled against his chest between
gasps of air. “Two…guys…ch-chasing
me. Want to…hurt me.”

Ethan stroked my
ponytail. “You’re safe.” His fingers slid down the back of my neck
cupping it in a protective hold. “I’ve
got you.”

Brightest Kind of Darkness
by P.T.
Michelle Kindle Location 1111

There is something about a guy shows up at about the last minute to save the day. But the real question is what does he do the two guys that she is running from?

Monday, November 19, 2012

Chase Williams is a demon
hunter in the Circle, or at least he was supposed to be. On his fifteenth
birthday, Chase stepped up to the altar to claim his elemental power, but it
never came. Elemental magic is passed down to a hunter through the bloodline,
but on Chase's birthday, the bloodline stopped.

Exiled without the Circle's protection, Chase
has spent two years trying to survive a world riddled with half-demons and
magic. When he has a run in with a frightened and seemingly innocent demon, he
learns the Circle's agenda has changed: the Circle plans to unlock a portal and
unleash pure-blood demons into the world.

Vowing to stop them, and knowing he can't do it
alone, Chase forms a reluctant alliance with Rayna - a sexy witch with an
attitude and a secret. In their attempt to stop them however, Chase and Rayna
find themselves in the middle of the Circle's plan, leaving one of them to
decide what their friendship is worth, and the other's life depending on it.

Here's an excerpt:

I was trying to wrap my head around the idea that there were Underworlders out there that weren't completely evil, but though Rayna had saved my life, I was still having trouble with it. After years of being told one thing, it made it hard to believe otherwise, and the last three years of being subjected to the Underworld's attacks didn't help.

More astonishing than her saving me, Rayna hadn't tried to kill me. Now that was a twist I never saw coming. Although we fought, I couldn't help but wonder:if I hadn't jumped at the chance to attach her, would my nose still be aching?

Considering all the strange things Marcus had said, I figured it might not hurt to stop by that address. It would give me a chance to see what they were all about; plus, I had a strange urge to know more about Rayna. If there were people who could be trusted, I was interested. A hunter on my side would be great, but about the demon, I wasn't so sure. She might have been helpful once the night before, but I didn't want to get ahead of myself.

M.R. Merrick is a Canadian writer and author of
The Protector Series, a Young Adult mash-up between Urban and Epic Fantasy.
Having never traveled, he adventures to far off lands through his imagination
and in between cups of coffee. As a music lover and proud breakfast enthusiast,
he’s usually found at the computer between a pair of headphones and in front of
a large bowl of cereal.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Just because Mel lives in New Whitby, a city founded by
vampires, doesn't mean she knows any of the blood-drinking undead personally.
They stay in their part of town; she says in hers. Until the day a vampire
shows up at her high school. Worse yet, her best friend, Cathy, seems to be
falling in love with him. It's up to Mel to save Cathy from a mistake she might
regret for all eternity!

On top of trying to help Cathy (whether she wants it or not), Mel is
investigating a mysterious disappearance for another friend and discovering the
attractions of a certain vampire wannabe. Combine all this with a cranky
vampire cop, a number of unlikely romantic entanglements, and the occasional
zombie, and soon Mel is hip-deep in an adventure that is equal parts hilarious
and touching.

My Thoughts

Imagine growing up in a world with vampires- now imagine
living in a city founded by vampires.Cool, huh?Well to be honest cool
is not the word that Mel would use.

Yikes!Is more like
it.In order to become a vamp you were
supposed to apply for a license- just like a driver’s licenses.Once the license is approved you go to the
clinic and presto you are transformed- if done right, you are a vampire
devolved of all human emotion.If it
doesn’t take- you die.Oh, and if
something goes wrong.You are turned
into a zombie.

Thank goodness Mel does not have to worry about this.You see she’s never even met a vampire.That is until the day he shows up at
school.Then all heck breaks lose- Cathy
(Mel’s bestie) loses her mind and her heart to the blood loving vamp,
Francis.What was she thinking?

New Whitby is a fun place to visit.Team Human was a perfect way of addressing
the current vamp loving culture that we now live in.I remember a time when liking paranormal
anything meant you were weird/Goth/maybe even a little depressed.But now, it’s all the rage!Team Human pokes fun at our vamp loving
culture in a way we can all relate to.

You know that time when your bestie falls for a bad guy- one
you totally disagree with?Well, welcome
to Mel’s world.She will do anything to
save her bestie from falling for a vamp and being turned.

There is never a dull moment in this book.It’s fast paced and you really can feel Mel’s
love for her bestie.You can understand
why she is heck bent on convincing her to not become a vamp.Would you want your bestie to become one?

Mel does get a love interest, sort of.Kit, who Francis helped raise after humans
left him on the vamp’s doorstep.He
offers a lot of comic relief and a different viewpoint of the vamps.

Disclaimer- if you are totally serious about vamps and have
no sense of humor do not read this book.

My Rating3 out of 5 stars

Other Characters

Cathy- the studious best friend who happens to be in love
with a vampireTy- ex-boyfriend, still friendAnna- other best friend, a lot goes on in her life- I feel
bad for herFrancis- vamp that Cathy falls in love with

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Nara Collins is an average
sixteen-year-old, with one exception: every night she dreams the events of the
following day. Due to an incident in her past, Nara avoids using her special
gift to change fate...until she dreams a future she can't ignore.

After Nara prevents a bombing at Blue Ridge High, her ability to see the future
starts to fade, while people at school are suddenly being injured at an
unusually high rate.

Grappling with her diminishing powers and the need to prevent another disaster,
Nara meets Ethan Harris, a mysterious loner who seems to understand her better
than anyone. Ethan and Nara forge an irresistible connection, but as their
relationship heats up, so do her questions about his dark past.

My Thoughts

Talk about a book starting off with a bang!
Nara is a high school student who is not use to surprises- how can she be when
every night she dreams about the next day.Very rarely has she attempted to change the future- until the day she
dreamed about her school blowing up.She
covertly calls in the bomb threat and saves plenty of lives.Then her dreams just stop.

Without her dreams she is walking
blind.Her best friend Lainey and her
start fighting.There is a new guy at
school that she may or may not like and her grades are dropping.What is a gal to do?How can she get her dreams back?What caused them to go away in the first
place?

First of all can I just say yikes!!!Could you imagine be strong enough to call in
that threat?Nara is an extremely strong
female character.She doesn’t whine
about the punches that life throws at her.Instead she punches back.Dad
left them- so what, who needs him anyway?Best friend gets angry?She will
get glad in the same britches she just got mad in.If there is anyone who has read this story
that does not like it will- I would seriously question their taste.

Speaking of taste can I please get an OMG
for Ethan?I mean mystery new guy that
keeps protecting Nara- why?A guy with a
record who is good with animals.Can I
get a say what to that?Ethan’s the
strong silent type that keeps to himself but man does he got a thing for Nara.

Brightest Kind of Darkness is a fast-paced,
is it over already kinda read.That
leaves you wondering what happens and when will there be more.Luckily for you dear readers Lucid, the
second book in the series is already out.